Whistler

We just returned from a mini-break in Whistler. It was a great get-a-way and a good way to get everyone super revved about ski season. Last year we applied for membership to the Fireside Outdoor Recreation club at Whistler. It can be hard to get a membership as they only sell a small number of them and some people wait as long as 7 years to get in. We were lucky as we have an inside scoop we learned that they had 5 memberships open last spring. Normally only 1 is open at a time but for whatever reason there were 5 so we applied and were accepted. Now we have a place to stay whenever we want for dirt cheap and are part of a really great social group as well. The Lodge is extemely close to the creekside gondola and also a short drive or nice walk when warm to the village. It is a really neat place to stay and because it is primarily members staying there, you know most of the other guests as well. Non-members can stay as well but members have priority. As always, we enjoyed our stay and there were a few other members there so we met some people we'll be spending a lot of time with over the winter as well.

Before we went up I found out about a spa that has student praticum massages so I booked a 1 hour massage for friday morning for only $40. It was a killer good price and the massage was very good. It was, unbeknownst to me, a deep tissue massage and she dug in with her elbow into some extremely tight spots. Afterwards DH and I attended a 1.5 hour yoga class. I like yoga for the exercise - it is a good way to build strength, grace and flexibility - I am not a fan of spiritual yoga classes. This one was focussed on exercise. I was very impressed by DH's flexibility and skill at yoga. He far surpasses me as I am very limited by my stupid back at the moment. (His family is freakishly flexible.) We sent the kids to the Old Spaghetti factory with Ale while we were at yoga and then signed them in for some indoor rock climbing afterwards, giving us some time to have lunch at the mongolie grill. I had a vegetarian stir fry loaded with bok choy and other good vegetables and tofu with a bit of satay sauce and some fat free sesame sauce over brown rice. Yummy!!! We picked up the kids from rock climbing and we were told that banana is apparently very good at rock climbing! Who knew that Miss Careful would turn out to be so brave. Apparently she even climbed the hard-hang upside down route!

Ale babysat the kids one night and we went out for a date. We had a bottle of La Frenz Montage on the heated outdoor patio and spent the evening people watching in the village. I wore my hat and gloves and vest and it was brisk but very enjoyable. We picked up our season's passes and bought some new gear as well. The kids got ski's and Banana was super excited about how pretty her ski's are - Thankfully they are not pink. Gorilla was hoping to get some rad ski's with something like skulls on them but he seemed happy with the one's we bought. I also got new ski's and they are pretty :-) Pretty is not essential when it comes to ski's but it is nice.

Everything feels all set and we are ready to start using our season's passes now.... all we need is some snow!!